Nut holder with resilient fingers



Oct. 30, 19 56 J, E. PUGH, JR 3 NUT HOLDER wm RESILIENT FINGERS Filed July 5, 1955 I N VEN TOR.

United States Patent NUT HOLDER WITH RESlLlENT FINGERS James E. Pugh, Jr., Menominee County, Mich.

Application July 5, 1955, Serial No. 519,861

3 (Ilaims. (Cl. 8113) This invention relates generally to hand tools, and more particularly to an improved nut starting tool for positioning and starting a nut, or the like, in an inaccessible zone.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel tool for positioning washers and for screwing nuts onto the threaded ends of bolts located in restricted and confining places.

Another object is to provide a nut starting tool having a movable sleeve for controlling and actuating constrictable fingers.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a nut starting tool having a movable sleeve adapted to be positioned over the fingers thereof, to guard them against damage during storage and non-use.

A further object is to provide a simple sleeveless type of nut starting tool.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a simple, facile and inexpensive nut starting tool.

Other specific objects, and many of the attendant advantages, of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by references to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation, partly in section, of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 shows an end view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates an enlarged side elevation view, partly in section, of the left end portion of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged end view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective illustration of the inner rodular element of the device.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective illustration of the outer sleeve member of the device.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one of the resilient fingers of the device, showing the crank-like or offset configuration of the fingers.

Fig. 8 is a plan view showing the spring clip.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the spring clip.

Fig. 10 is. a side elevation of a modification of the device.

Fig. 11 is an end view of Fig. 9, and

Fig. 12 is. a modification of Fig. 1, partly in section, showing a continuous, inclined slot construction.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in Fig. 1 an outer sleeve member 11 adapted to snugly receive a somewhat longer rodular member 12.

' One end of the rod 12 is provided with a reduced diameter portion 13. This reduced portion is slotted with three equally spaced radialslots 14, 15 and 16 (see Fig. communicating with each other at the longitudinal axis of said reduced portion, thereby dividing the re duced portion 13 into three equal segments 17, 18 and Patented Oct. 30, 1956 19. Said slots are of a width to receive resilient wire fingers to be hereinafter described.

That portion of rod 12 adjoining the reduced portion 13 is provided with three similar longitudinal slots 21, 22 and 23 (not shown), aligned with slots 14, 15 and 16, respectively. These slots are adapted to receive wire fingers to be hereinafter described, and are open. at the shoulder 24 formed by the reduced diameter portion 13 (see Fig. 5). The other end of these slots terminates in radial recesses 25 to receive and anchor the bent or hooked ends 33 of said fingers (see Fig. 3).

Said fingers 26, 27 and 28 are composed of resilient material such as stifii spring wire or the like. The fingers are bent and formed into a modified crank-like or offset shape (see Fig. 7), that is, one end portion 29 is out of line, but substantially parallel with the other end portion 31, and the connecting middle web portion 32 being relatively diagonally disposed or otherwise forming an acute angle with the axes of the offset end portions, respectively. Said bent finger formations are adapted to have their inner end portions 29 he in the slots 21, 22 and 23, and their outer end portions 31 to lie in the associated slots 14, 15 and 16, respectively. The middle diagonal web portions 32 span the space between the slots.

The inner end portion 29, of the fingers, is provided with a small right angular bent end 33, received in recess 25, and anchored therein as by rolling or peenin the edges 20 of the slots, thereover.

The outer end portion 31, of the fingers, projects and extends beyond the end of the reduced diameter portion 13; and is normally disposed in its receiving slot adjacent the periphery of the reduced diameter portion 13.

The projecting finger portions extend, beyond the rod end, a distance suificient to pass all but through the smallest nut expected to be manipulated, that is, to extend into said nut beyond all except the last full thread. Under these conditions the blunt end of the reduced diameter portion will bottom against the top of said nut, and the last thread is left exposed to permit its being freely engageable with the threads of a bolt or the like.

The sleeve 11, slidably mounted on rod 12, is provided, at its outer end, with an annular inwardly projecting flange 30. The flange opening easily receives the reduced diameter portion 13; and the flange itself is adapted to reciprocate thereover as the sleeve 11 is correspondingly actuated. Said sleeve is of a lesser length than the rod 12 to provide a free hand hold portion 34 on the inner end of said rod.

A small L-shaped slot 35 is provided in sleeve 11 to receive a pin or set screw 36 fixed in'rod 12. The slot and pin are related to permit the sleeve flange 30 to be slidden to the finger ends to cover and guard the fingers when the tool is not in use. When the flange 30 is thusly disposed over the fingers, the rod can be rotated to permit the set screw 36 to enter the head portion 37 of the slot, there to be held against relative displacement by spring clip 38. The spring clip 38 is provided with oppositely disposed cavitary ear guides 40 and 50, operative to receive pin 36 and direct it under the body portion 55 of the clip.

Likewise the L-shaped slot and pin 36 are related to permit the sleeve flange 31 to be slidden in the opposite direction, away from the finger ends and toward shoulder 24, whereby to contact the sloping or diagonal middle portions of the fingers and to actuate them into a constricted disposition so as to be received in the smallest nut expected to be manipulated.

Operation.The tool is held firmly by one hand at the handle portion 34, while the other hand is used to slide the sleeve theneover. To engage a nut, the sleeve is pulled toward the handle 34 whereby the flange edge 39 is moved into contact with the sloping portions 32 of the fingers 26, 27 and 28. Continued movement of the sleeve flange, in the same direction, to a position indicated by the dotted lines 41,.actuates the finger ends into the constricted dotted line position indicated at 42. A nut is then slipped over the projecting ends of the re stricted fingers, and the sleeve retracted until the fingers are spring urged against the inner threads of the nut, thereby engaging the nut and holding the nut for manipulation. Since normally the last few threads are uncovered by the fingers, the nut is now ready to be started on a screw thread. As the nut is turned on a screw thread the fingers bottom on the screw end and are thereby slowly forced out of the nut until released altogether therefrom. The nut can now be advanced and tightened with a conventional wrench.

A nut can be removed from a screw by first loosening it and backing it off until approximately one nut thread is free of the screw and exposed. The nut starting tool is then grasped in one hand and the sleeve moved by the other so as to constrict the tool fingers, as hereinabove described. The constricted fingers are then inserted in the nut and the sleeve retracted slightly to allow the fingers to expand and securely engage the nut thread. The handle is now rotated to back off the nut, and simultaneously therewith a slight pressure is applied to the tool to cause the fingers to slide farther into the nut to a better engagement therewith. When the nut is wholly backed off its screw, the nut is removed from the tool by slightly constricting the fingers with the sleeve flange as hereinbefore described.

To prevent damage to the tool fingers during storage of the tool, the sleeve is moved forward over the fingers to a guarding position thereover, and then rotated so that the pin 36 enters the head end 37 of slot 35. This secures the sleeves against longitudinal displacement. The spring clip 38, bearing on the pin 36, holds the sleeve against rotational displacement. By these means the sleeve end is held in a protective position over the tool fingers.

Should the tool be used for the placement of a washer on a screw, the fingers are engaged in the washer aperture in the same manner as with the nut above. The ends of the fingers are thenplaced against the end of a screw, and the sleeve pushed forward, thereby sliding the washer ofi the fingers and onto the screw.

Figs. 9 and 10 represent a modification of the tool. This modification is identified as a sleeveless type of nut starting tool. It corresponds roughly to the rodular member 12 of Fig. 1, absent the reduced diameter portion.

One end of a rodular member 43 is slotted with three equally spaced slots 44, 45 and 46 communicating with each other at the longitudinal axis of said rod, thereby dividing the end portion into three equal segments, similar to segments 17, 18 and 19 of Fig. 5. Rearwardly of said dividing slots are shallow slots 47, 48 and 49 aligned with the aforesaid dividing slots, respectively, similar to the slots 21, 22 and 23 of Fig. 5. These shallow slots communicate with the deeper dividing slots. The inner ends of the shallow slots terminate in radial recesses such as 51. It is to be noted that this modification lacks the reduced diameter construction of the preferred embodimerit.

Fingers 52, 53 and 54 are composed of resilient material such as stitt spring wire or the like. The wires are bent and formed into a crank-like or oifset shape, shown in Fig. 7, and disposed and anchored in said slots as particularly described in the above preferred embodimerit.

This modified construction operates as follows. One of the tool fingers is inserted in the bore of a nut to be manipulated. A slight pressure is applied to the rod and the rod rotated. This procedure causes the remaining two fingers to fall into the nut bore, constricted. The

eopstrictedfingersare tensioned against the inner threads of the nut and engage the nut securely. The held nut is now applied to a screw thread and turned on and backed off as described above for the preferred embodiment.

Fig. 12 is a modification of Fig. 1, showing a continuous, inclined slot construction. The rod 56 is provided with a reduced diameter portion 57, and a sleeve 58 slidably engaged thereover, similar to the Fig. 1 construction. However, a different type of slot is utilized in this modification. The outer end of said rod, including said reduced diameter portion is provided with three equally spaced radial slots 59, 61 and 62 (not shown) cut continuous and inclined, and extending from the axis of the outer end of said reduced diameter portion, through said reduced portion, into the body of the rod, and terminating at the periphery of the said body.

Said slots receive offset fingers 63, anchored in radial recesses 64, as in the Fig. 1 construction. The fingers are secured against unwanted displacement by rolling or peening the edges 65 and 66 of the slots, thereover. The peened portions 65 maintain the hooked ends of the fingers in the recess; and peens 66 limit the outward swing of the fingers, and keep the fingers in the slots.

This type of continuous inclined slot is easier and cheaper to make since one slot is all that is required. The interrupted slot construction of Fig. l is somewhat stronger because the finger is secured against a slot bottom over a comparatively long distance. It serves better as a tool for larger nuts; while the inclined continuous slot construction is adequate for relatively small nuts.

The characteristic features of this nut starting tool are the provision of a slidable sleeve for controlling the constriction of the fingers; a slidable sleeve adapted to guard the tool fingers when the tool is not being used; means for limiting the movement of the sleeve; and a sleeveless modification.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood, that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A nut holder, comprising: a rod having a reduced diameter portion on the outer end thereof, said reduced diameter portion having a plurality of longitudinal slots extending to the free end thereof; resilient fingers, having outer end and inner end portions and connecting middle portions, associated with said slots, the outer end portions thereof being disposed in said slots and projecting beyond the end of said reduced diameter portion and normally disposed relatively constrictable, and the middle portions being disposed outside said slots, and the inner end portions being mounted on that portion of the rod adjoining said reduced diameter portion; and means slidably mounted on said rod, engageable with said fingers at the middle portions thereof, operative to control said fingers.

2. A nut holder, comprising: arod having a reduced diameter portion on the outer end thereof, said reduced diameter portion having a plurality of first equally spaced open ended longitudinal slots, and the portion of the rod adjoining said reduced diameter portion having second open ended slots aligned with said first slots, respectively; otfset resilient fingers disposed in the associated slots, said fingers having outer and inner end portions and connect ing diagonal portions, the outer end portions of the fingers being disposed in said first slots and projecting beyond the end of said reduced diameter portion and normally disposed relatively constrictable, the inner end portions of said fingers being disposed in said second slots, and the connecting diagonal portions .of said offset fingers being normally disposed outside the slots; means for securing the inner end portions of said fingers in said second slots; and a sleeve slidably mounted on said rod, said sleeve, having on its outer end, inwardly projecting flange means movable over said reduced diameter portion, operative to control said fingers.

3. A nut holder, comprising: a rod having a reduced diameter portion on the outer end thereof, said reduced diameter portion having a plurality of deep equally spaced longitudinal slots communicating with each other at the longitudinal axis of the rod, the portion of the rod adjoining said reduced diameter portion having relatively shallow longitudinal slots aligned with the slots in said reduced diameter portion, respectively, said shallow slots commencing at the shoulder formed by the reduced diameter portion and terminating in a radial recess; a pin projecting from the rod intermediate the ends thereof; offset resilient wire fingers disposed in said associated aligned slots, the outer ends of the fingers projecting beyond the end of the reduced diameter portion and normally disposed in spaced relation to each other, the inner ends of said fingers having right angular bent end portions receivable in said radial recesses, and the middle diagonal web portions of the fingers normally spanning the space between the associated slots; a sleeve slidably mounted on said rod, said sleeve having, on its outer end, an annular inwardly projecting flange movable over said reduced diameter portion and engageable with said diagonal portion of said fingers, said sleeve being shorter than the rod to provide a handle portion on the inner end of said rod, and said sleeve having a slot to receive said pin operative to limit the outward movement of the sleeve to a guard position over the finger ends; and a spring clip mounted on said sleeve operative to engage said pin when the sleeve is in said guard position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,230,494 Lindenberg June 19, 1917 2,502,025 Raup Mar. 28, 1950 2,553,479 Schmarje et al May 15, 1951 2,594,321 Leftwich Apr. 29, 1952 2,669,896 Clough Feb. 23, 1954 

